Apple is now selling its new iPhone 4S unlocked and contract free direct from the Apple website, but picking one up will put a dent in your wallet.

Apple is now selling its new iPhone 4S unlocked and contract free direct from the Apple website, put picking one up will put a dent in your wallet.

The iPhone 4S was introduced last month across a number of networks in the UK and abroad, with Apple announcing that an unlocked version would arrive in November. Besides the lack of a contract, the main benefit of the unlocked iPhone is that if you travel internationally, you can swap in a SIM from a provider in that country and pay domestic rates.

Of course, you'll have to pay a premium for the unlocked model, since it doesn't benefit from the subsidies provided by the carriers. The 16GB version will run £499, the 32GB goes for £599, and the 64GB model costs £699. Apple quotes 1-2 weeks shipping time for all three capacities, so in addition to paying more, you'll also have to wait a bit.